Recognize Dallas/Ft. Worth

The Eagles have been one of the state's most consistent
teams since coach Jerry Best took over in 2002, winning district
championships in five of the past six seasons and picking
up a regional title in 2007. A mainstay in the Top 10 at both the
UIL state tournament and the dual state tournament, the
Eagles are looking to contend for the top spot in the state this
season with 13 out of 15 wrestlers returning from last year. To
help prepare for the grueling end-of-season events, the Eagles
upped the ante during the regular season. Typically the team
competes in one out-of-state tournament each season. This
year, the Eagles are going national by taking part in events in
Arizona, Virginia and Oklahoma. "We want to be state champions.
We think we can break into the Top 20 national rankings,"
Best says. "You don't accomplish those things without seeking
out challenges."The Eagles are loaded from top to bottom this
winter. Junior Roderick Gaines is a two-time state placer who
will wrestle at 119 pounds this season. He took third at 112
pounds last season after taking second at 103 as a freshman.
Senior Eden Bernstein took fourth at 145 last year, and he is a
team leader who sets the tone during practice, according to
Best. The coach is also impressed with freshman Jarrod Trotter,
who should challenge for a state crown at 112 pounds this
season. Best is also expecting big things from Alex LeGrande,
Zach Cobb, Travis Springfield, Steven Reyes and Jody Bishop.

Girls' Volleyball - Bishop Lynch

This fall, the Lady Friars tripled their win total from a year ago, and the result was a TAPPS Class 5A state championship.
After winning just 12 matches in 2007 with seven first-year varsity players, Bishop Lynch improved to 36-5 in 2008. The turnaround
culminated with a 3-2 state finals victory over San Antonio Incarnate Word. Seniors Jessica Jiles and Meghan Mannari
and juniors Becky Wallander and Michelle Carson were named to the All-State Tournament team.

Boys' + Girls' Tennis - Highland Park

The Scots weren't able to get revenge this fall on New Braunfels after the San Antonio-area school halted H.P.'s 118-match
winning streak in last year's Class 4A team tennis state final. New Braunfels moved up to Class 5A this year, so Highland Park
mercilessly blasted its way through state tournament foes W.F. Rider in the semifinals and Boerne Champion in the title
match. In the pair of 10-0 sweeps, no Highland Park singles competitor or doubles team dropped a set.

Girls' Cross Country - Forney

The Jackrabbits slowly climbed their way up the Region II-4A ladder the past few years, moving from sixth to fifth to
fourth to second between 2004 and 2007. Forney took the final step this fall by winning the regional title on Nov. 8 thanks
to the front-running trio of senior Gabbie Corletto (seventh), senior Tyler Blacklock (eighth) and freshman Martha Romero
(ninth). Sophomore Kara Hyde (15th) and senior Jessica Boudreau (18th) rounded out the team's top five.